Well, to be totally fair, I bought or traded the 3/4 length knife blank a few years ago and then bought or traded the scales before buying the fibre cards and brass pins. The whole lot sat on my bookshelf and then dining room table and then drawer ... until eventually I committed to beginning it.
The reason I procrastinated so much was the lack of tools to begin the project properly but I finally set to with a bandsaw and pillar drill. I clamped the whole lot together with the blank on one side and drilled the holes through the pack in one go. I then countersank the one side (wooden blank, as it happens) and used machine screws to bolt the pack together before cutting around it with the narrow blade bandsaw. Sadly, this burnt the fibre inserts a little bit and I have been unable to get it all sanded out again at the end.
Once the rough shape was cut out I removed the blade and filed the end profile closest to the blade. Once shaped, this was sanded at 180, 280 and 400 grit. I then used Unibond Repair Extreme Power Glue and glued each piece of the pack to the next piece before clamping it with three small screw clamps.
After a day of curing, the fun began and I attacked the handle with a half round file and the three levels of sand paper. All that is left now is the final oil / finish to weather proof the handle. I am not 100% happy with a few things, like my initial woodcut was too close and there is a tiny piece of metal showing below the handle at one end, the card burnt on the powersaw and hasn't sanded out well enough and there are one or two blemishes on the steel and the wood...but as a first effort, I am very pleased and glad I pushed myself to add the red and black liners!
I am sorry about the lack of photo's and knowledge of the wood etc ... I am hooked now though and it wont be long until I make the next one!!
The reason I procrastinated so much was the lack of tools to begin the project properly but I finally set to with a bandsaw and pillar drill. I clamped the whole lot together with the blank on one side and drilled the holes through the pack in one go. I then countersank the one side (wooden blank, as it happens) and used machine screws to bolt the pack together before cutting around it with the narrow blade bandsaw. Sadly, this burnt the fibre inserts a little bit and I have been unable to get it all sanded out again at the end.
Once the rough shape was cut out I removed the blade and filed the end profile closest to the blade. Once shaped, this was sanded at 180, 280 and 400 grit. I then used Unibond Repair Extreme Power Glue and glued each piece of the pack to the next piece before clamping it with three small screw clamps.
After a day of curing, the fun began and I attacked the handle with a half round file and the three levels of sand paper. All that is left now is the final oil / finish to weather proof the handle. I am not 100% happy with a few things, like my initial woodcut was too close and there is a tiny piece of metal showing below the handle at one end, the card burnt on the powersaw and hasn't sanded out well enough and there are one or two blemishes on the steel and the wood...but as a first effort, I am very pleased and glad I pushed myself to add the red and black liners!
I am sorry about the lack of photo's and knowledge of the wood etc ... I am hooked now though and it wont be long until I make the next one!!
